CM - Troubled past, restless heart
by jehkovac
Summary: This is a CM fic with the special participation of Covert affairs. After returning from the dead, Emily is getting a hold of her old life, but how will the team react to a new secretive Emily when another person from her past comes back? Will Emily tell them the truth this time?
1. Prologue

I had posted it in Cross over, but it is mostly Criminal mind with a little participation from the CIA's world of Annie Walker. Hope you enjoy Prentiss in her journey between present and past.

This is my first CM fic. I just love the show and so I thought I would give writing a shot. I do not own, unfortunately, Criminal Minds or Covert affairs.

It's set 9 years before Emily's death and resurrection.

Ciao

-x-x-x-x-

Prologue

After many days in that house she was finally alone. He had to take care of some busyness out of town and so did she. Of course her excuse was a lie; she needed to contact her team. She was gaining his trust faster than they had expected, but to do so she was paying a high cost.

Dealing with traffic of weapons was easy. She could be as tough as any of those men. She would gained respect and he had fallen for her act. She would get him guns that most couldn't give to him. This was the easy part. What troubled her was what she knew, what she would see him doing with the things she gave him. The deaths, the destroyed families this would take a piece of her soul every time. Putting everything into her boxes was difficult, but she rationalized why she was doing this. That after everything it would be worth it, because they would put an end in all of this. They would put him and the rest in jail. But for this she needed that information that only him could give her. So she would give everything she had to get to it; Even her whole self.

After reporting to Easter she thought about going to take a walk into the city, she didn't have to go back home before the next morning. Home… She knew it was anything but this, however sometimes it felt exactly like. This thought scared her, because she had promised herself to not let her emotions interfere. It was suppose to be just a job that she would put everything inside one of her boxes. But she didn't count on feeling this way. She didn't love him, but something about this family life was getting to her. Not so long ago she had discussed family with her partner. She didn't want to call him her boyfriend because their relationship was so different from a normal one. And she didn't know how to label it. No one in her life knew about that side, about her mystery man, but it was better this way. Their life was too much of a messy to put someone else in the middle.

And it was against policy.

She was always one to put the rules aside and do what she wanted, but this was more than her rebel side. She tried to fight it, but didn't succeed. She was falling hard for him and there was nothing she could do. She loved him and she could see them like this; having a happy family. But now she felt like she betrayed him. Not only because she was sleeping with another guy, but because she would had to force herself to utter those tree words that she only told before the one she couldn't just leave in one of those boxes. The only that got her whole heart to himself.

Emily was looking into some stores; maybe she should get something to give Declan. The boy had really got her heart. She feared for him. He seemed really close to Ian and she didn't want him to become that kind of man. He should have a choice of a normal life. A chance to be who he wanted, to be good, to be free…

Looking at the other side of the street she sees a man just smiling at her. He was tall with a messy brown hair. He was wearing old jeans with a light green sleeveless shirt and a smile. He took his black glasses off and she lost herself in his blue, almost gray eyes. When she noticed he was walking in her direction she started to panic. She couldn't face him now.

He passed her like he didn't know her, but he slightly brushed her arm. She saw him walking into an ally and started to walk to him. Her mind was telling her how this was a bad idea, but her legs seemed to have a life of their own. When she got on the ally she didn't see him, but soon she felt a hand pushing her on the wall and her mouth being assaulted without even asking for permission. She didn't even had time to process everything when he stopped his assault and just stayed with his forehead rested on hers, looking down with those hypnotic eyes.

"You know that I hate when you do that, Braga." She looked at him pretending to be mad. He just laughs and steps a little closer whispering in her ear.

"You don't like what? That I can get you all hot with just a kiss or that I use it to tease you, Emmy?" He steps from her with that smirk on his face, now so familiar. She couldn't suppress the smiles on her face.

"Just shut up." She pulls him by his shirt and kisses him hungrily. He pins her more to the all making his whole body in contact with hers. Suddenly she remembers where they are and pushes him off her.

"Now, who is being mean?" They chuckle and kiss lightly. "What are doing here? I thought you would call me when your mission was over." He didn't mean to appear hurt, but she could hear the faltering in his voice.

Emily was summoned to this mission just when he was coming back from his and, oh, how much did she miss him. She phoned him in the same day and told him she would have to leave and didn't know when she was going to be back. He had joked about her trying to make excuses to not seeing him. Then after a silence he would tell her that he would miss her. _'Don't do anything that I wouldn't, huh!' _Danio joked and in their coping mechanism she would joke back. '_So jump from a moving car is okay?!' _They would laugh lightly, but both could feel the pain in these words; the unspoken love.

"I'm still working. In fact I can't be seen with you." The guilty made her let go of his hand and her eyes now were sat on the ground. How could she look at those eyes now? How could she see the sincerity in them and not want to punch herself? She didn't deserve him, not after what she was doing.

"Hey, look at me Emmy." He put his fingers under her chin so he could see her eyes; the pain in them. "My safe house is near here. Let's talk there please. It's been months since we talked, I missed you." She just closes her eyes and nods to him.

They get to the safe house in minutes.

The ache in her heart was almost too much. She wanted to tell Clyde to screw himself and stay in Danio's arms. She knew she couldn't. They've been looking at this guy for so long and maybe they would get the information out of Doyle. They needed to get to Valhalla and he was their chance. She had been chose because she matched every criterion they needed in a woman to get to him. She would be reluctant on accepting, but after seeing everything that he had done; all the damaged he caused, she had to stop him.

She looks around, but sees the place is no different from the time she was there with him before. It was so cozy and warm. It was so Danio. The colored walls with photos of the nature were his personal touch.

"I see you didn't change things around here." She says seating on the sofa and accepting the mug of coffee he was giving her. The smell of the coffee filling her lungs made her close her eyes in anticipation of the pleasure she would feel when drinking it. She moans delighted by the familiar taste.

"Sometimes I get really jealous of the way you moans when drinking it." Emily chuckles almost spilling coffee. She looks at him to say something, but he beats her to it. "And yes, it's the Arabic you like. Somehow you addicted me to it." He sits down next to her getting her hands in his. The tender touch of his hands send shiver through Emily's body and her heart started to beat fast. She could feel all his love only in this one gesture.

"How much longer…" She put a hand on his lips shushing him.

"Shuu.. I don't really know. Tomorrow I have to go back, but right now I just want to feel you with me." She put her hand in his right cheek and he closes his eyes leaning unconsciously to her touch. She pulls him closer and gently touches his lips with hers. For a moment they just brush their lips against one another. ""Voglio fare l'amore con te. Voglio dimenticare tutto il resto.*" * I want to make love to you. I want to forget about everything else.* Hearing this he immediately pulls her in a very passionate kiss and picks her up to lead them to the bedroom.

Without breaking the kiss he puts her on the bed sliding his body on hers. She started to kiss him more desperately, pulling his shirt up. Her touch was so eager, desperate, that make him shiver with anticipation. But today he didn't want this feral love section they would have after being apart for so long, he was hunger for her, but he felt like he needed to show her something different. He needed to take his time, to take in all her reactions to his touch and memorize it. He wanted to engrave everything into his soul, her taste, her scent… Something about the way she looked at him today made him scared. He could still see the love in her eyes, but there was something along with it that he couldn't figure out. Was it regret? Sadness? Guilty? He didn't know. What he did know was that he loved her with all his heart. The last three years with her had been the best of his life and he wasn't letting her go.

He takes her wrists with one of his hands and put her arms above her head. She looks confused at him, but he only smiles at her and start to kiss her neck.

"Today you are mine. I'm going to take my time. We can fuck later, but now I'm going to make love to you." He sucks her neck on her pulse point and hears a low moan escaping her mouth. Traveling up her jaw he founds her mouth again. They kiss slowly. Their tongues massaging the other till they needed to separate to breath. His mouth goes back to her neck, nipping, biting lightly while his free hand starts to unbuttoned her shirt. His kisses start to trail the path his hand uncovers and soon Emily starts to become breathless.

"Daniooo." His name leaves her lips as he start to kiss her breast and a wave of heat passes through her entire body. He smiles moaning against her skin making her shiver. His hand start to unclasp her bra and he releases her hand, so her blouse and bra can start the pile of clothes that soon will be covering the floor.

Their eyes meet and suddenly all those feelings are gone; he can only see love and passion in those brown eyes he loves so much. Smiling she turns them around and straddles him, making him grin at her.

"I missed you so much." Soon her lips are on his, in a deeper kiss; tongues battling for dominance while her hand goes under his shirt feeling his strong chest. "This shirt has to come off." Emily start to put it up, but he embraces her more fiercely and turns them again. She lies on the bed looking intensely at Danio's eyes. He stays on his knees and starts slowly to take the shirt off. Their eyes only parted when his shirt shielded his, that when Emily started admire Danio's body. He had wide and strong toned shoulders. She sits in bed and starts to caress his chest leaving kisses where her hands passed. "You're losing your touch. You were much faster on taking it off before. I wonder if you losing your touch on others things too." She whispers to him before getting his ear lobe between her teethes. She lies back in bed with an evil smirk on her face. Emily loved to tease him; it usually resulted in really good pay back.

"Oh, losing my touch, huh?! I'm going to show how GOOD my touch still is." They kiss passionately like they would never be able to do it again. Danio starts his descended again in her body. His lips are on her belly and he can feel her muscles reacting on his touch.

He loved how she reacts to every little touch. And he knows if he lets her take control she would also find all those right spots. They knew every piece of the others body, but every time it seemed they would discover something else, always marveling each other.

His hands started to take her pants down, caressing her thighs on their way, till they joined their shirts on the floor. Her eyes were closed just enjoying the feel of his hands on her. He loved this sight; there wasn't anything prettier than Emily Prentiss having pleasure. He felt breathless watching her, but above this he felt blessed for being the one to get her there.

"Perche' ti amo, di notte son venuto da te

cosi' impetuoso e titubante

e tu non me potrai piu' dimenticare

l' anima tua son venuto a rubare.

Ora lei e' mia – del tutto mi appartiene

nel male e nel bene,

dal mio impetuoso e ardito amare

nessun angelo ti potra' salvare.*"

*Because I love you, I came to you at night

so impetuous and unsteady

and thou shalt not ever forget

I came to steal your soul

Now you're mine, all mine

in poorly and well

brash and proud of my love

No angel can save you!*

"Danio, Io sono tuo, il mio amore. Fare l'amore con me, per favore.*"* I am yours, my love. Make love to me, please.* Their lips met again, like they couldn't get enough of each other. Their feelings so evident now; their love could irradiated through their bodies, like powerful flames burning every doubt, every other feeling besides love. It seemed to be a dream that neither of them wanted to wake up from.

Soon the rest of their clothes were being discarded and the need to feel one another grown impossibly more. He started to kiss down her body again needing to feel her in every way possible. He hears her gasp as his lips found her sex.

"Daaanio." His name leaves her lips easily and it encourages him to continue his ministration. He would take in every moan, every gasp for air, and every involuntary contract of her muscle. Her hands leave his back to tug his hair pulling him into a hungry kiss. "I want you inside of me, per favore mio amore." She couldn't think straight anymore. Didn't even notice the language mix she was making. She just wanted to feel him complete her. Like no other could.

They kissed again and he filled her slowly, seeing her closing her eyes, but her lips open in a pleased smile. Now inside of her he also closed his eyes, never feeling more home than in that minute.

"Emilyyy." He moaned her name before started their love making. Their body moved in a synchronized pace. Soon the room was filled with breathless moans and the uttering of love words. This moment there were just them; no lies, no missions, no world. It felt like they could live in the moment, never letting go of the other. Never letting go of the feeling.

"Open your eyes, Emmy. I want to see the gorgeous brown of them." Their eyes were locked together as their pace fastened and their breath became more rapid. All Emily's muscle contracted and she felt the most intense sensation hit her making her scream for him.

"I love you Danio." And he let it go as well, falling in his lovers arms, panting. He started to move off her, but Emily stopped him.

"No, stay like this for a while." She takes a long breath trying to keep the trembling for her voice and the tears from falling of her eyes. "I'm not ready to let you go just yet."

He breaths deeply feeling their scent together. Something was wrong and he was afraid of what it was, so he stayed like this, with his head on her chest listening to her heart beat. Their relationship was complicated. Not because of their feelings, but of their lives. They were both spies with busy schedules. He was from Italy and she was American, but she did most of her work in Europe, that's how they met.

He knew that first time they met she was different. Something caught his attention, but didn't know what. He just knew he had to see her again. So when he was in Chicago and saw her walking near the lake, he knew he would have to get to know her. She was walking slowly, the sun was on her skin making her radiate. He swears he had never seem something so beautiful in his whole life. He stood there for what seemed like hours, but was probably only a couple of minutes, watching her walking, till she entered a coffee shop, so he followed her.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Emily breaks the silence when she's sure her emotions are under control. Danio then goes to lie on her side, taking her in his arms. He kisses the top of her head before talking.

"I was thinking about the time I bumped into you in Chicago. You were at the coffee shop eating this really BIG chocolate cake." He laughs remember her almost choking when seeing him.

"It wasn't THAT big. You were calling me fat. I remember I 'accidently' let my coffee split on your pants." They laugh together. She was still mad at him for the kiss he gave her after their mission. She wasn't really mad, she was confused, because even if he had been a petulant egotistical arrogant man – that's how she called him at the café -, the kiss had stayed in her mind for days. She just couldn't get rid of that feeling and it bugged her.

"Oh I remember. But I also remember you taking my pants off that same night."

"Shut up." She slaps his chest lightly still grinning at him. "What can I say, you are kind of charming." They kiss, but soon go back to that position and to the silence.

"So, are you gonna tell me what is bothering you?" Danio feels her muscle tense beneath him.

"It's nothing." She sees him start to protest so she gives his lips a peck. "It's just a stressful job, that's all." She didn't want to lie to him, but how could she tell him what she was doing? It would break him, like it was breaking her. She felt like she didn't deserve him. She felt like a whore. Selling herself for information. She didn't know what to do. She had to stop the destruction Valhalla was causing and there was no other way to get to him. But she dreaded the consequences, because in the end she knew she would be breaking not only Danio's heart, but also Ian's and hers.

He wanted to ask her what she was doing, but knew it wasn't fair. They had an oath to comply. He couldn't talk about his missions with her either, so he would respect her silence.

"I've been thinking…" He started to talk.

"Good to know there's something inside that big head of yours." She grinned against his skin. Even with everything happening, she felt so at easy with him. No one had ever made her feel like this before.

"Ha ha, very funny Prentiss. Seriously now…I was thinking after your case we could spend some time in my real house here in Tuscany, maybe go to Cala Violina. I want you to meet my family, in person this time." He talks in one breath. He had so much more he wanted to say, but it was hard to find the right words.

"Danio…" Emily starts to sit putting her legs to the side of bed, her back to him.

"I thought you wanted to know them. I want you in my life for good Emily. Here, in the US, I don't care… I just want you with me. I love you." It's not fair. It was not fair for her to keep lying to him. He was such lovely man. He deserved a real woman with him. Someone that wouldn't lie and keep secrets from him. Someone that wasn't broken like she was. He deserved someone who would give him a family and would love him, only him.

Emily turned to him tears going down her face. The cracks that have been appearing in her walls now broke it all and she couldn't hold it back anymore. She just couldn't keep with it anymore, she loved him too much to keep lying. But at the same time leaving him was going to kill her too.

"Emmy. It's gonna be okay. No matter what." He embraces her and lets her cry in his arms. He hated to see her crying like this, because it only happened when something really upset her. Before he had his last mission they were talking about family.

"_I would really like to meet the Bragas." She kissed his chest and looked deeply in those blue eyes._

"_Oh, you will, but be prepared cause Mama has being bugging me for kids. It means she probably will bug you too." He smiles, but soon sees the smile leave her face and her usual mask start to appear. "What's wrong, Emmy?"_

"_Nothing. I…" She puts her eyes away and starts to stand but he doesn't allow her._

"_You can't hide from me Emily. You know you can tell me anything." He strokes her hair slowly embracing her more. She starts to sob in his arms and he whisper sweet words in her ears._

She told him about the boy in Rome, how she got pregnant. She told about her friend that helped her and she felt like she ruined his life. He told his fears and his mistakes to her too. They counted with each other, that's why he was scared now. He wanted to help her, but couldn't if she wouldn't tell him the problem.

They stayed in each other arms until they fell asleep. When he woke up Emily was nowhere to be found, there was only a note on the bed.

"_Sorry. There isn't much more that I can say, but there is much that I wanted to. In the end what really matter is that I'm sorry; for walking away like this, but mostly for walking away from __our life. I don't know if you will believe me after reading this, but I did love you, Danio. Now I have another life and you can't be in it. Don't come after me, please. It would only complicate things._

_Move on. Find someone who will truly love you. You deserve happiness and I can't give you that. Get her to know your family and maybe give your mother the grandchildren she wants._

_My job is my priority, so I'm freeing you. The agency has the rule for a reason._

_I'm sorry once again. Goodbye._

_Emmy."_

_-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-_

It was a new morning and she had to go back to her life now. She walked through the door and greeted the employees now so familiar to her. She felt sick, disgusted with herself. All he wanted to have with her she was having with another guy. A terrorist nonetheless. It was her job. She would get it done, even having to sacrifice her happiness. Now Danio was free. He would find someone to make him truly happy.

She hears footsteps behind her and soon pair of tiny arms were wrapped around her legs. The smile comes easily to her. This made the job worth. She would do anything to this kid; to give him a better chance of life. After everything was over she would make sure he had a better future. This she promised herself.

"Hey their little man. Are you being good to your mom? Cause if she says yes, I have a little something for you." Emily passes her hand through his shinny sun hair. Then she feels another pair of arms now on her waist. She turns and he glues his lips on hers. Her mask was back on, but the feeling of loss was difficult to hide, because she could still taste Danio's.

She wasn't Emily Prentiss anymore, now she was Lauren Reynolds. That why she smiled hearing he greeting her.

"Hello, Love."

-x-x-x-x

The Poem Danio says to Emily is from a German writer called Hermann Hess.

I would really like to know opnion about the story! All types of reviews are welcome.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Nowadays (9 years after)

CIA headquarters – Langley Virginia 

"So Auggie, how was your trip?" Annie asks walking by his side taking his arm on hers. The usual thrill in her voice wasn't there talking to him about this particularly subject, but she tried to sound as happy as she could.

"It was hot. Felt like it was a hundred degrees Celsius there. But what I liked the most was the sightseeing." He laughed lightly of his not so amusing joke. She couldn't suppress a chuckle herself; she had missed his sense of humor.

"See your sense of humor has come back with you. I think she heard you then." Her voice was steady, but her eyes showed the emotions hidden. She was glad he was happy, but the ache in her heart was still there. She wasn't entirely sure when all those feelings came from, but she was unable to suppress them. "I'm happy for you." They continued to walk into the office.

She wasn't surprised about the girl. Auggie always seemed to have many women on his tail and Annie could see why. He was very handsome and had a killing body. Also he was very intelligent and funny. Since the first time they met, Annie knew they would get along very well. Now they were best friends, but now her feelings were growing deeper.

"So …How are things with your sister?" He asks opening the door and waiting for her to go inside. The way he moved freely around make her really think about this sixty sense thing. It always amazed her.

"It's been great actually. She's been happier, we've been talking more." This time the smile reached her eyes. After the first feeling of betrayal and anger passed she's been more understandable about Annie's situation. More worried either, but she said she felt better knowing what to worry about. "She's still a little confused and hurt, but I think we are in the right path, you know?! We are reaching an …"

"Auggie, Annie, I need you in here." Joan rushes past them going into the conference room. Everything in her body language said urgency. The two agents sight. It was going to be a long day.

"Well, I think this is her way of saying 'Welcome back'." He smiles softly. He was glad he was back, he actually missed this all.

"I'm really glad you are back. I'm glad to have you watching my back. Not literally of course." They let out a warming laugh together. They've missed this companionship, they missed each other.

"I missed you too, Walker." So they walk together to see what the day awaits.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"CIA operative Thomas Stevens is missing. He's been working to infiltrate himself, for a year now, in a group of drug trafficking here in DC. About 6 months ago, he got into that group and was trying to link it to the Stancato family. Dom Ciccillo is the head of Maf in Italy this family works for." Joan starts to point to a series of photos that appeared on the screen. "We've been after Dom Ciccillo quite some time, so has been other agencies, but our work was more focused in Italy. Now with Stevens we were closer to him." Joan stands a folder to Annie that starts to look through it immediately. It's the information they had about Stevens work in this undercover job and his sheet from CIA. Annie could see he was a good agent with many succeeded jobs in his many years with the Agency.

"About 2 months ago Thomas contacts with us have been lessening, and it's been a month since the last time we talked to him. Our goal is to find him, make sure his cover wasn't blown. He may be so deep in the cover that he can't contact us, or he can be in danger." Joan starts to give her agents tasks. They could feel the tension in her voice. Their agents were always in danger. That was just the job. However when it involved the mafia it was more worrier somehow; they knew the consequences of being the traitor. The tortures, the deaths, they didn't tolerate betrayal. "Amil Dickens, Stevens's handler, is trying to contact him without success. He said that Stevens was behaving strange the last month, but he didn't know what it was about. But he gave us information we can use. Auggie?" Joan calls him, so he can put the information she had asked him to put up for them.

"Dickens sent us a name." Auggie says while using his computer to put the information for everyone to see. " Danio Braga, he's a SISM operative that's also infiltrated in this group here in DC. " Annie look at the pictures and sees a very good looking man. Broad shoulders and blue eyes. His brown hair was in unorganized, but organized way, giving him a look of carefree person. "He worked with some of our agents with the Interpol in Italy, where he resides. We talk to his boss in the SISM, but they didn't want to give us a way to contact him afraid to blown his cover." Another folder is passed to Annie and this time it's Danio's information.

"So, what do you need me to do, Joan?" Annie asks not taking her eyes out of the paper in her hand.

"You are going to find him." This time Annie looks at her boss, trying to find more about what she really needed from her. It wasn't the kind of mission she would be summoned to do. She hadn't the slightly idea of how to find him.

"But if he's deep in the cover, how am going to find him? I'm going to try entering the group too? This could take time, what Stevens doesn't have." The stoic look on Joan's face gives nothing away, but she puts a reassuring hand on Walker's shoulders.

"We need a help of someone who worked with him." Joan nods to Auggie and he put new information on the screen. "Emily Prentiss, Ex-CIA currently working with the FBI in the Behavior Analysis Unit."

"Isn't she the one who worked to get that IRA guy an year ago? Ian Doyle, wasn't it?" Auggie nods and change the images on the screen again. "After everything that happened in her life because of her undercover job, I don't think she'll be willing to come back." Annie sighs looking through the information Auggie was showing her. She had a strange feeling about all this. She wasn't sure why Joan was choosing her for this mission. Her Italian would help if she got in contact with Danio or the Mafia, but not other particularly skill was really needed to talk to this agent.

"We won't be needing her to come back. We just need her to give you a way to contact him." There was tension hidden in Joan's words, but Walker couldn't place it. There seemed Joan was holding something back, and it seemed that Annie wouldn't like it.

"She's being in contact with him all these years? Here says they worked on one case together 11 years ago, how do you know she'll know how to contact him?" This was a valid point. Even if they continued in touch all this years, he wouldn't risk his cover to talk to her. It could be too dangerous.

"We don't know, but…" Joan stopped a second and came closer to her agent. "There were rumors that after the case they were romantically involved. Actually, we knew they were together, but Prentiss was being prepared to stop Valhalla at that time, so we didn't want to lose an agent because of the policy."

"Are they still together? Is that why we are coming to her?" Walker was starting to see where it was going and she didn't like it at all.

"No, but she's our best shot. For the reports I've read, It's a plausible supposition."

"But she'll be reluctant to give me the information, because she knows the danger it puts on him." Annie now was looking forward, but was really lost in her own mind, putting everything that was said into account. "She knows how the Maf works. She know what happens to traitors, so if…" She doesn't need to finish her sentence, because Joan does it to her.

"If she thinks he's is in danger, she may help us." Annie was about to talk again when a man come into the room and gives Auggie a flash drive. "Auggie is going to help you with all the information you need and he'll be the one coordinating you on the field. I have more things to settle. Needing me I'll be in the office all night." Joan sights and leaves the room.

There was too much in her head now. She was beyond worried. There agent depended on her doing the right decision. This plan seemed to be a good one, but she still needed a plan B if Prentiss couldn't help them. She knew Annie was the right person for the job, even knowing she wouldn't like the idea. However Annie was one of the most compassionates operatives she ever had and would be able to get to the FBI agent. Her history with Ben Mercer would help her find a way to the brunette. With that thought in mind Joan leaves the room letting his agents with their thoughts.

"Here is all the files you are gonna need about the case. Tonight we'll be reviewing it. So I was in the mood for some Chinese, my place or yours?" Auggie says getting up to getter his things.

"Yours sounds good." Annie responds heartlessly.

The idea of this mission had left Annie feeling a little uncomfortable. She didn't feel particularly well about using the safety of someone else to get this information. Furthermore using someone's love to achieve it. This made her think about Ben. Even things had ended the way they did between them, she's sure if she could contact him he would answer her. Of course she wouldn't do something to put him in danger, but Joan was right; If she though he was in danger she'd do anything in her power to make sure he was alright. Annie didn't want to use this kind of ruse, but Thomas depended on her. Would she be able to lie and maybe jeopardize Braga to save one of their own?

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The next day

"JJ said she would meet us where?" Emily asks Penelope looking rapidly over her shoulders. She was sure they were being followed for a while now. Since they started their day there was something bugging Emily, but it wasn't until she saw the woman behind them that she let her gut feeling run her.

"She's at the new shoe store 4 blocks from here." Garcia smiles to her friend mindless to the tension in her voice. She was so happy they were having their girls day after so long. They've been working in so many cases since Emily came back, that they didn't get time together to enjoy it properly. She really missed her friend. "I'm so excited to our night." She continued happily. "You see this new night club has..." Prentiss wasn't paying attention anymore; she had to figure out what this girl wanted. Why was she following them? It wasn't just her paranoia.

"PG, I need you to stay calm and do what I say." Emily grabbed Penelope's arm and continued walking like nothing happened. "We are being followed and I need you to continue walking calmly and go get Jayjay." The profiler feels her friend stiffen by her side, so she locked their eyes, trying to calm her down.

"No, I can't leave you here alone. Especially if we are being..."

"Just, please, do it. I'll be okay. I'll be waiting here, I promise." Garcia is about to cry, but she sees the pleading in her friend eyes then she nods and continue ahead.

"Go ahead PG. I'm just going to look this store here." Emily says loud enough for her stalker to hear, but not enough to seem suspicious, before she enters the store.

Inside, Emily starts to look at things to go to the cabinet, like she would try them. The stalker does the same thing. Prentiss use this to analyze the woman. She was blond and had a friendly expression, talking easily and smiling to the attendants. The blonde was wearing a flowered dress with beige heels, which accentuated her long legs. Nothing in this woman would grab attention to her, maybe some man attention, but not for her real intention, whatever those were.

The agent enters in a cabinet just waiting for the blonde to follow her. As soon as she stops in front of the curtains of the cabinet, Emily grabs by the shoulders pinning her to the wall with an arm pressing her neck.

"Why are you following me? Who do you work for?" Prentiss asks pressing a little bit harder.

"I need your help, the agency needs your help." Emily eyes open widely. This couldn't be happening again. When would her past live her alone? "There is an envelope in my bag, grab it please" Emily let go of her, but doesn't move from her place in front of her. She's was angry. She had left this life behind her and didn't want to go back. Despite her feelings, the agent had learned still young that showing how she felt left her vulnerable to others, so she put her walls tall so the woman couldn't see how this affected her.

"I don't work for the CIA anymore. I'm out. I won't get involved again." Emily started to leave, but was stopped by a hand in her arm pulling her slightly.

"Pleas, just read this." A brown envelope is pushed to Emily. "You wouldn't need to come back. We just need help from an acquaintance of yours. Look at the info and meet me 9 tomorrow morning at the Smithsonian museum. Ask for Annie Walker, and then we'll talk more." Annie pauses letting the agent absorb the information. She looks carefully at Prentiss, trying to see her reaction to everything, but sees nothing. She can't figure out what's her taking in all of this. Emily was about to protest, but Walker don't let her speak. "It's about Danio Braga."This time she sees something change in the brunette eyes. There was an intense emotion in them, but she couldn't figure what it was, so she left leaving the agent with her thoughts.

It took Emily a minute to get back into the present. She shakes head and start to go outside; she had to calm a probably freaking out Garcia. Now she was worried too. It's been so many years since she last heard of or speaks with him. Her heart was beating faster than normal now. Her history with him was complicated and she didn't know if she was ready to face it. She passes by Annie still on the store and can hear her talking to the attendant.

"Do you have a red of this one?"

Sitting on the bench in front of the store Emily sights deeply before putting her head in her hands. How was she going to explain this to her friends? What she would do about it?

"There she is. Oh, Emily. What happened? Are you okay?" Garcia's eyes were full of tears and she had a worried expression. She sits by the brunette side and start to check her for injures. JJ was looking around in a defensive poise looking out for any treats. Great, now they are worried and paranoid like me. I have to solve this by myself. I can let they get involved like last year. When is my past going to stop hunting me? Emily breaths deeply putting her mask in place.

"I'm sorry, Garcia. It was nothing. I think I'm still a little paranoid. It's probably remains of my 7 months in Europe." Emily laughs lightly looking at her friends. Jennifer was looking suspicious at her still not believing the brunette. "Really, Jen. I'm just a little ashamed. I kind of embarrassed myself." Agent Jareau look at her friend and see her checks getting a little red. It must have been horrible those months alone in Europe. Looking behind her shoulders, worrying about her friends, about Ian getting Declan. It could get anyone paranoid.

"You scared us, Em. Now can we please go to the shoe store? I saw something there that will get you drooling." Garcia gets up pulling Emily with her. She laughed, how could her friend go from scared for this happy in just a second?

"Let's move ladies." The brunette says smiling at her friends.

At this time Annie left the store and smiling lightly at Emily before going to the other direction, holding two bags she had just purchased. Emily's smile left her face rapidly, before she put her mask back on, but it was enough time to get Jayj suspicious. The blonde agent looked at the woman going in the other direction trying to figure out who she was and why her friend seemed to be affected by her.

"Em, you know that you can tell me anything, right?" JJ makes the brunette look her in the eyes trying to pass the sincerity in her words.

"I know Jay. Thank you." Garcia interrupts them interlacing her arms through theirs before walking happily down the street.

The rest of the day was uneventful. They laughed and bough clothes, mainly Garcia, then they went to lunch just enjoying being together. Emily had laughed all afternoon, she really had fun. But she was worried and it didn't pass unnoticed by Jennifer Jareau. The blonde kept glancing to Emily trying to figure out what was the problem.

It was getting late and they were walking to their car, so they could go home and get ready to hit the club. Garcia was telling them something about Kevin when she looks to a very quiet Prentiss.

"What's it Gumdrop? You've been quiet…" They had reached Emily's car and she was playing nervously with the key in her hand.

"What's it, Em? Is it about early?" Emily looks at her friends and sees the worry in their eyes and for a second she thinks about telling them, but backs down. She wouldn't let her past affect their lives like last time.

"Sorry, it's not about that. I'm actually not feeling so well, but I didn't want to miss our day together." The brunette downs her head feeling bad for lying to them.

"Oh, Emily. We could have rescheduled." Garcia hugs her friend.

"I know and I'm sorry. I just had missed our girl time, you know?!"

"Okay Em, let's do the following; we finish the day now and go to the club another time okay?" JJ says getting Emily's hand on hers. "Just rest and we'll see you tomorrow okay?" Emily nods and hugs her friends before entering her car to go home.

Now alone in her car Emily's mind was working frantically. Was he working with the CIA again? Why were they coming to her?

Getting home Emily takes a long shower. After it she feels more relaxed and decides to look through the envelope Walker gave her.

First sheet of paper there is a photo of a man she didn't recognize. He had dark eyes, but his hair was a light blond. Beside the photo there was his CIA file. Thomas Stevens. Undercover for a year in a drug trafficking group in DC; now missing. The file wasn't complete, but she didn't expect it to be. They would never reveal the cover of an agent for outsiders. It was too dangerous. This still didn't explain why they needed her. Sure she had some knowledge about how the Mafia from Italy worked, but it wouldn't be anything they weren't aware of.

She put it to the side and got the next paper. Her breath gets caught on her throat when she sees those blue eyes. She linger her finger through the photo smiling at it. He had that smirk on his face, the one showing all his confidence. Her heart was beating fast and she start to recriminate herself for feeling like this. She had no right what so ever of feeling like this. But she's fighting a losing battle when her mind brings her 11 years ago.

"_I just wanted to thank you. You know, for the help on the case." Emily smiles shyly at him. She usually was more confident, but there was something about him that got to her. She stands her hand to greet him. He smiles at her and takes her hand, but instead of shaking it he pull her to him sealing their lips together. It took her by surprise but it only took her a second to respond to the kiss. However, as abruptly as it started it ended and when Emily opened her eyes he was looking at her with a smirk of satisfaction on his face._

"_It was my pleasure agent Prentiss." And with that he walks to his car and leaves. _

"_Son of a…" _

Emily remembers calling him all kinds of names in as many languages as she could. She got so mad at him, but at the same time it stuck to her. She couldn't forget the kiss, what left her even more irritated.

A silent tear fell in the photo and rapidly Emily cleans it of her cheek. She reads the little information they gave her. Danio was currently working inside the drug group. They didn't really know at what level, but they needed him to find Stevens.

She puts it with Stevens file and sees the note with the woman's name.

_Annie walker – Smithsonian museum at 9 am._

After Doyle Emily was so sure she wouldn't go into that life again. Even more sure after last year's events, but now there was another part of her past coming back and she couldn't ignore it. Not when her heart wanted nothing more than to know about him. How was he? How has been his life? Have him forgave her?

With those thoughts Emily went to bed for a night when sleep wouldn't come, because the past wouldn't leave her thoughts. Danio Braga wouldn't leave her mind.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It's 9 am when Emily gets to Smithsonian. She had been walking around all morning thinking about what to do. Actually she changed her mind too many times during the night, but now here she was.

Looking around she could see a group of kids coming in with a woman, probably in a school trip. Their laugh filled the air and for one second the agent felt some kind of peace. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. There was something about kids that always got her. Their laugh would warm her heart and that glimpse of innocence in their eyes would give a new hope about...about everything. If she had any doubt about her job, why she should do it, those children would always be her reminder. They deserved a better world and it was that she tried to do.

She left those thoughts away and turned to the clerk on the information desk.

"Good morning, what can I help you with?" A woman on her 30 with a brown hair on a pony tail asked in a kind voice. She smiled at Emily that returned her smile easily.

"Good morning. I'm here to see Annie Walker, do you know where could I find her?"

"Wait just a minute, I'll call her." Emily smile and nods.

"Thanks Carly." Emily starts looking around. Above the desk there was a board with the events of the day. There was a lecture about the end of the word in the Maia's calendar. _I think Reid would find it interesting or he probably knows everything about it and would explain it to her with more details than this lecture. _She smiles at the thought of Reid talking nonstop about it. She had been having doubts nowadays about being back. She knew they had forgiven her, but there were times when she could see they doubting her. And with their work trust was the most important aspect. At the same time she felt lucky to be back, because they were her family and there wasn't anyone else she loved more than these weird relatives.

"Thanks for coming, agent Prentiss." Emily turned hearing Annie behind her. "Can we take this in the coffee shop across the street?" Walker smiles unsure under the agent profiling look. She looked different from the last time. The agent looked determined, but Annie could also see a glimpse of fear. It only took a second for all this disappear and the stoic facade replaces it. It mesmerized her how fast she could guard herself. Nodding to the blond, Prentiss followed her outside.

They sit in a table in the corner, trying to find some privacy because of the sensitivity of the conversation. As soon as sat down a waiter come take their order.

"What can I get you fine ladies?" A boy that couldn't have more than seventeen asked them in flirtatious tone. He had a light red hair and freckles in his face. He smiled at them puffing out his chest. Emily bite her lip trying not to laugh while Annie smiles to the boy answering.

"Yeah, I would like a hot chocolate..." She pauses briefly to look at his badge name. "Owen. What about you, Emily?" The agent smiles and says.

"A coffee please." They see his smile broaden, probably proud of himself for their flirty tone.

"A special hot chocolate and a coffee coming up, ladies." He winks at them and leaves. The woman start to laugh hard. Almost getting breathless. It wasn't rare that they were hit on, after all they were both very beautiful, but he looked like a kid.

"Is he what, like 16 years old?" Emily asks still laughing hard.

"About it. I think he is really feeling very proud of himself now. Gaining two beautiful ladies attention."

"He's probably going to tell his friends all about it tomorrow." Emily sees him coming back and sign to Walker to stop laughing.

"To two beautiful ladies: a hot chocolate and black coffee. If you need anything else don't hesitate to call me. Anything at all." He winks and smiles a last time before putting a paper in the table leaving them alone.

Emily gets the paper and sees a phone number. Smiling she hands the paper to Annie.

"You should call him." Walker gets the paper and they laugh one more time.

"I'll think about it."

Suddenly the table gets really quiet. Not a comfortable quietness, but a awkward one. Neither knew how to start this conversation, but both understood its importance. Emily took a sip at her coffee and noticed a new bitterness in its taste. If it was the lack of sugar or the dread of the conversation she wasn't sure. After things with Braga ended, Emily started to let her focus only on her mission, and it took a hole on her. After Doyle she decided it got too personal, so she left. She wanted to start over. She shoved her feelings away and focused on getting to the BAU, which she always wanted to be part of. So many nights, especially after hard cases, she reached for her phone to call him, just to hear his voice. To know that he was okay, but she didn't. She just moved on. At least until now.

"So why do you need agent Braga?" Emily was serious again and Annie understood now why she did it. This was the only way Prentiss saw how to protect herself. To stay objective even when her heart screamed at her. It was her way of not breaking down. Walker wondered if someone would get inside of those walls.

"We have an agent infiltrated in a group of drug trafficking in DC and we are trying to link it to Dom Ciccilio in Italy." Emily already had this information, but Annie felt she should start from the beginning. "He used to have a cover on the street of DC when we had problems with gangs and we needed his cover to be reactivated. He was very well known by the dark side of the city, so it was easy to be getting to the Stancato family to hire him."

"What does this have to do with Braga? He works mostly in Italy, not here in the USA." Prentiss interrupts her wanting to get to the point.

"About a month ago we lost all communication with him and we need someone from the inside." Seeing Emily about to stop her again Walker rise her hand and continue. "We know Braga is in. And we need him to figure out where is, what happened to Thomas." Annie analyzed the brunette all the conversation, but she didn't even blink. No one single emotion could be seem in her face. It was a game of poker and the agent was firmly hidening her cards and Walker knew how play this, but she didn't want to get to use this Ace.

"I's been years since I last talked to him. I don't even know if I could contact him. If this is that important, why don't you ask the Italian government?" Emily used to have a way to communicate with him, but it was years ago. Why would he answer her call now? She couldn't understand why come to her? As far as the agency knew they worked only a case together. That's all.

"We tried, but they only contact him in an emergency, but they felt like it wasn't enough. They are afraid to jeopardize his cover."

"And you don´t? Do you even know what you are against? It's the Italian mafia for God's sake. Do you know what happens to traitors? If they find out he's not who they believe he is, he's done." Anger had took place in Emily and it startled Annie. In the way Prentiss talked and her still calm way, you couldn't see the change, but the CIA agent could see it burning in her eyes; the anger and worry. For a second Annie felt like giving up. She knew exactly how the agent was feeling. She still worried about Ben. "You are still young. You don't know what you are getting into."

"Like you didn't know what you were getting into with Doyle?" The blond sees the woman before her biting her lower lip nervously and see shame cloud her eyes.

"We don't really understand what it will take of us until its gone. You should leave while you are unscarred." With that Emily throws some bills and gets up to leave the place.

"Shit." Walker stands and follows the brunette. She was turning a corner when she grabbed her arm. "Wait, please. Would you go back then? Would you rather have never got that mission?" Emily stares hard at her, but then lower her eyes to the floor sighting.

"No, I wouldn't. Something good came out of it. Seeing it now I don't regret it one bit." It all came out as a whisper, but Annie understood.

"Declan." Emily nods her head with a little smile on her lips. "That's why I need you." They stared into each other eyes now. "His handler said he was acting erratically. Was more paranoid, he wouldn't confide in him anymore. You are a profiler and you know it probably means.."

"Fear. He's afraid of something or someone."

"We can't get a hold of him. We think he's in danger, probably went rogue and can't contact us without being put in more danger. We just need Danio to look for him, so we can take him out. We are trying other ways, but it takes longer and we don't have time." Emily was looking intensely to Annie and she could see the raw emotion in her eyes. She was being sincere, but she couldn't risk Danio like this.

"I'm sorry, but I can't..." She turns to start walking, but again Annie stops her.

"If not for us at least contact him to see if he's okay." This makes Emily gets tense.

"Why?"

"I don't really think he's in danger, but Thomas handler haven't seem him in over a week." The agent was going to reply when her cellphone rang.

MESSAGE: Meeting in 10 minutes.

"I gotta go."

"Please, think about it. Thomas needs your help."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Garcia watches her friends entering one by one in the conference room, but still misses one. This makes her worry, because Emily wasn't feeling well yesterday, making her preoccupied.

"Where is Emily?" Morgan asks sitting beside JJ, that is already analyzing the information. He looks around and sees that nobody has an answer. He couldn't help but remember last year. Her secrets and it made him uneasy, because he trusted her, but knew if she thought the best thing was to keep it to herself she would. Even if it hurt her.

"Garcia, can you call her see if..."

"Sorry I'm late guys. Car trouble." She says sitting on the empty chair beside JJ. Agent Jareau puts a hand on her arm and asks quietly are you okay? Emily smiles and shakes her head yes. Morgan looks at them wondering what happened, but Emily dismisses him.

"Let's start. Garcia?"

"Okay Boss-man. DCPD needs our help. They found 3 bodies, being the last one yesterday. Two men and a woman, all had different races, ages and social classes. All tortured." The pictures appear on the screen and everybody looks attentively to it. First is a male body tied to a chair, very tall and skinny with blond hair, in what appeared to be his home. The second was another male, but he was shorter and had brown hair. He was find in a alley tied to a dumpster. The one found yesterday was a female. She was in her 60's with blond hair and was also tied to a chair. They were all very harmed and bloody.

"The victimology is all over the place, why do they think they are related, a part from their messy state? Are the ropes the same?" Morgan is the first to voice the mind of all of them.

"Yes it is, but that's not the main thing, my Adonis. Here is where our brunette goddess of all languages is going to help us." The image changes again and this time it's a wall of one of the house. On it there was a phrase written in.

" Cu è surdu, orbu e taci, campa cent'anni 'mpaci."Prentiss reads aloud and her minds gets lost. It couldn't be happening again. Her old life comes back crushing into this new again. It couldn't be a coincidence, could it? Everybody was waiting for her to translate, but they could see by her blank stare that she was lost in her head.

"Prentiss." Hotch called, but she didn't even blink. "PRENTISS." He call her louder this time and she turns to him shaking her head to concentrate again.

"Right sorry. 'He who is deaf, blind, and silent will live a hundred years in peace'. It's the Ormetà." She says as a matter of fact and they still look at her for an explanation, but before she could continue Reid started to explain.

"The Ormetà is the code of silence used for the Italian mafia. Omertà implies "the categorical prohibition of cooperation with state authorities or reliance on its services, even when one has been victim of a crime"." All eyes were focused on Reid and she couldn't be more great full. Her mind was a messy right now. "The Italian-American Mafioso Joe Valachi famously broke the omertà code when in 1963 he publicly spoke out about the existence of the Mafia and testified before the United States Congress."

"So we have 3 bodies. All different. And their only link is a Sicilian's proverb. I hadn't recognized It when I read, but now I see. Omertà is an extreme form of loyalty and solidarity in the face of authority. One of its absolute tenets is that it is deeply demeaning and shameful to betray even one's deadliest enemy to the authorities. Observers of the mafia debate whether omertà should best be understood as an expression of social consensus surrounding the mafia or whether it is instead a pragmatic response based primarily on fear." Ross was talking then he heard a little chuckle. "What, Penelope?"

"You sounded so much like the boy genius right now! Am I going to have a contest for the wikipidiaman title?" They all laugh. Even Hotch couldn't suppress a smile. "Anyway, I couldn't find any other thing in common about the victims. They used different dry cleaners, restaurant…the only similarity was between the first and third victims they usually went to the same grocery store. James lived further from the others, so totally different store."

"Now I want you to find any link they could have with the Italian mafia or any trace with Italians what so ever. Even the smallest one."

"Okeydokey."

"There is one more thing. If we analyze more closely the torture seem practically the same in all bodies. One or other changes the methods are the same. They are beaten in the face and ribs. They all had at least a finger broke and electrical burns on arms and legs." JJ start to name the damage she could see and the differences were little. "These cases are definitely tied."

"JJ is right. It's seems this unsub is trying to pass a message."

"But to who?" Ross asks.

"I don't know, maybe to his worker like 'this what happens to traitors' or to rivals in the area." This conversation is leaving Emily more and more uneasy. She looked at those images and she only saw Danio. "What do you think, Prentiss?" Seeing her lost in her thoughts again Morgan looks worried at the others.

"Em?" Finally the brunette seems to break from her trance. She looks at JJ who called her. "Are you okay? What's getting your attention." Emily looks around realizing she must have zoned out. She didn't know how to start talking about it. They never really talked about her past in the CIA, not that she could reveal much, but she was really unsure how to bring it up. The reminder that she lied to them about her past would bring some of the hurt back, but she couldn't withhold this piece of information.

"Morgan is right. In Italy I worked a short period with a part of the mafia there." Morgan was about to comment something, but she proceeded. "I can't enter into detail about it, but I'll tell you everything I can." She can't look at them, so she fixes her look in the pictures on her tablet. Emily didn't want to see the hurt in their eyes. "They used to torture the traitors and them get rid of the body. The tortures were as these, but they never displayed the body. That's bugging me because one trait that they were known for was the "lupara bianca", which is the way they make the bodies disappear. We believe they used acid or hide body in concrete wall, but we never had proof." Emily was with her eyes closed trying to fight some memories that wanted to surface. She didn't want to go back to that warehouse.

_The cold water thrown on her face woke her up. She struggled to open her eyes, but when she did she was met with two pairs of eyes looking at her._

"_You are finally wake American." Now focusing better she could see two big Italian guys in front of her, both wearing a sleeveless shirt and baggy pants. They were grinning at her. "What's your name?" The blond at her right asks._

"_Where am I?" That was the wrong thing to say, because she felt a fist come in contact with her ribs making her loose a breath._

"_I'll ask again. Who are you? Who do you work for?"_

"_I'm a tourist. I got lost..URGG" This time it was two punches to her stomach._

"_I think we'll have to be more persuasive. Grab the bat."_

"Prentiss, Morgan and JJ go to the last crime scene and talk to the neighbor and family. Reid and Rossi go talk to the first two family victims. Garcia, you and I are going to the station. I want you to get with the detective all the information about Italian families in the area linked to the mafia. They'll give you everything they have on the matter. When you are done go to the station so we can share information." Emily was pulled from her memories when she heard her name. She was so lost in them that she didn't even hear the rest of the briefing. Everyone was already leaving, so the brunette got up, but a pair of hands stopped her.

"Em, are you okay?" A very concerned pair of blue eyes was on her. "You weren't feeling well yesterday; maybe you should go home and rest. We'll be fine without yo.."

"I'm fine, JJ." Her ton was harder than she wanted, but she just felt stressed. She had to think about the CIA agent in danger and she was afraid for Danio too. Even more so now. Emily breathed deeply and now in a softer ton talked to the blond. "Sorry JJ, I'm feeling better today. For real, but I couldn't sleep well. It got me cranky." She smiled at her friend, but she still looked doubtful at her.

"Is everything okay?" Morgan was at the door looking at them.

"Yeah, let's go?" Emily smiled and went out of the room without waiting for an answer leaving Derek and Jennifer more worried than before.

"What's going on, JJ?" Morgan asks her blond friend.

"I don't know. I think she is just tired." Derek frowns ate her statement, so she explains. "She wasn't feeling well yesterday, so she didn't sleep well."

"Is she feeling better?"

"I don't know. She says she's fine, but you know Emily." She shrugs and see him sighting.

"Yeah, I do."

While they are talking Emily gets her go bag from under the table and open it like looking for something. Her hands are trembling with the phone. After everything she saw she couldn't take Danio out of her head. She couldn't stop seeing him in those pictures; tortured, dead. Taking a deep breath she starts to tape a message for a number she never forgot even after all those years.

MESSAGE: 'E' stata lunga, ma io continuo a desiderare per il cioccolato. Ho sentito che è in DC. Dove lo posso trovare? ' *'It's been long, but I still crave for that chocolate. Heard it's in DC. Where can I find it?'*

Another memory comes back to her, but this time it brings a smile to her face.

_She had read the protocol over and over last night and she felt ready. This wasn't her first mission, but she knew how important it was and dangerous too. She wouldn't have to deal directly with the Mafia, but it got her preoccupied. Emily looked at the café across the street and the man sitting reading a paper on a table. He wore jeans and a blue button shirt. His backpack was on the floor next to him. She was dressed like an American tourist with a camera around the neck, a brochure on her hands and a backpack in her back._

"_Scusi." She takes her backpack of her back and puts it beside his. The man looks up from his paper and smiles at her. Her heart speed a little, he was very handsome. His gray eyes looking attentively to her._

"_Si?" He turns her attention to her and the smile comes easily._

"_Sto cercando per la Casa Cappuccino. __Mi hanno detto che ha il miglior tiramisù della regione." *I'm looking for the Cappuccino House. They've told me it has the best tiramisu of the region.*_

"_Sì, proseguire dritto e poi girare la seconda a destra. Ma se volete qualcosa di buono e dolce si dovrebbe mangiare la loro torta al cioccolato. E 'il miglior cioccolato mai.__" *Yes, go straight ahead and then turn the second right. But if you want something good and sweet you should eat their chocolate cake. It's the best chocolate ever.*_

"_Grazie, terrò a mente." *Thank you, I'll keep that in mind.* They smile at each other then Emily takes his backpack instead of hers and leaves._

Message sent. Emily closes her phone and pursue seeing Morgan and Jennifer coming in her direction.

"Let's go princess?" She nods and they head for the car.


	4. Chapter 3

Here is another bit of the story. Hope you enjoy it. Let's solve this puzzle.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

**Chapter 3 **

They got into the car and start their way to the crime scene. Morgan was driving with JJ by his side and Emily in the back. JJ had her tablet with her, so she starts to lay the information for them.

"So... this last victim is Alexandria Robert, 64 years old. Lived alone since her husband died a couple of years ago; she was found by the delivery boy, Summer Connor 16 years old. Garcia called his boss and he has some deliveries in the area. We are meeting him there." They had all read the information in the conference room, but they usually brainstormed before going to investigate so they had a solid plan of what to do.

"This discrepancy in victimology is really bugging me. The sex, age and economical class are all different. Nothing Garcia found has linked them." It was making Morgan frustrated. It didn't make any sense, but it had to be related, the tortures were too similar to not to. "What about family? Did she have kids?"

"Yes. She had a daughter, Cecile Stone early 30's. She's married to Richard Conrad Stone. They are both lawyers for the same company. They don't live far, we'll drive there after."

"It's going to be hard to start a profile. There isn't a real pattern here."

"I think the answers will be in the phrase. Garcia is searching for any Italian connections this people may have, so we'll get answers." They both sight. It's going to be a long case.

"I hope so." He looks at the rear mirror and sees their brunette friend sitting quietly in the back picking at her nails. A sign of stress and it concerned him very much. The blond agent was also looking at their friend worriedly. She knew she shouldn't push her about it, but the more time passed more distressed JJ would get.

"Em." Jennifer tries to get her attention and only continue when their eyes are locked together. There was something deep in those brown eyes, but the blonde couldn't figure what it was. Worry? Tiredness? Confusion? She couldn't figure it out. "Are you sure you are okay? You've been so quiet all morning. Do you still feel sick?" Jareau could be a profile for a short period, but she had been with them for so long and she had picked on things. Not only it, Emily was her friend and she knew when the brunette pulled her walls to guard her feelings, like she was doing now.

"Honestly Jay, I'm feeling better. I think I was just tired." Emily smiled to her friend, but it didn't reach her eyes. It wasn't a complete lie. She was indeed very tired, because she couldn't sleep last night. But it wasn't the why she was distracted. Emily didn't know what would happen now. Would Danio reach her back? Would this case really be tied to the CIA's? How would she protect her friends from her past again? There were too many things in her head, but she realized in the worry of her friend that she had to put her compartments to work, because the cases being or not connected there were people dying and they need her doing the job. "I think if we had gone out yesterday, I wouldn't be able to get out of bed. You girls always wear me out." She chuckles remembering their many late nights.

"So Kevin must be relieved Garcia didn't buy the whole store." He grins happily seeing their friend finally losing up.

"Oh, you wish. We had to help her carry everything to the car." For the first time in the morning the smile reaches Emily's eyes as she and JJ laugh remembering their friend antics. "We just didn't hit the club later, but we spent the whole day shopping."

"Well, well...who would say that Emily Prentiss would tire for just carrying bags? I think you should train with me and the blonde more often." They laugh again forgetting for a second the problems they had to solve. They needed this. Last year had been cruel for all of them and it was now they were going back to their old selves.

"Shut up Morgan. I can kick your ass anytime and you know it." She tries to fake anger, but the smile still lingers in her face.

After that the mood in the car got better and they turned their attention back to the case. They were going to the crime scene and then talk to the boy. They hoped it would get them more close to the criminal mind. Closing in the place they could see a police car waiting for them, but even before the car came to a stop Emily cellphone start to vibrate.

Message: Il desiderio di colato non ci lascia mai, doe importa da quanto tempo. Se essa in Titanium 23hrs. *The craving for chocolate never leaves us, doesn't matter how long. Should find it in Titanium 23hrs*

"Is it Hotch?" The car had stopped and Emily was still inside, just looking ate her phone.

"No, It's..." Emily pauses slightly looking at her friend's eyes. She would always get caught in the ocean Blue of Jennifer Jareau, what made it difficult to lie right now. Breaking the connection the agent sighs thinking of an excuse. "Ambassador wants to see me tonight. That can't be good." She jokes trying to convey her lie.

"Agents..." They see the detective coming to them. He was wearing a jeans and button up red shirt. He had brown eyes and a serious look.

"Detective Jayden?" He nods and shakes Morgan's hand. "I'm SSA Morgan , these are SSA Jareau and SSA Prentiss. Were you who ran the scene?"

"Yes. The CSI worked the entire scene, but we tried to let it like it was before for you."

"We appreciate it detective. Is there anything you can tell us about the victim?" Emily put her phone away and concentrated in the case. They would need her expertise on this case, especially if it involved the Mafia.

"Nothing we hadn't sent to you. She lived alone, but was well known by her neighbors; said she was very friendly." They entered the house and start to walk into the living room where the body was found. It was a large living room with stairs to the second floor. It had a couple of desks, which were open with all content spread on the floor. The couch in front of the television was out of place giving space for the chair where the victim was found. "The body was tied to that chair. She was gagged, the radio was on and the window and curtains were all closed." Jayden started to relay how he found the scene.

"It's probably all countermeasures. The way he tortured her he couldn't let people hear it and get suspicious." Morgan was analyzing closely the chair. He could picture the woman there, fighting so hard against the restrains that left marks on the floor, because of the chair. He could see her eyes full of pain as he beat her, probably begging him to stop. He looks up from the chair to see Prentiss turning on the radio. The sound of Eric Clapton comes out and Emily ejects the CD and started to look for its case, but it was not there.

"The case is not here. He probably brought it with him. We should see if something similar was found in the other crime scenes."

"Was it dusted for prints?" Morgan asks.

"Yeah, not found. We tried to let things like we found for you, but everything is cataloged to be sent as evidence."

"It really helps detective. He made a mistake or this is part of his signature. It'll help the profile." Emily says standing looking at the papers in the floor. The living room was a messy.

"How the CD helps if there isn't a print in it?"

"If it's part of his signature we'll find it in the others crime scene too. It probably is important to him. We'll look for why this song is significant to him. If he forgot here he's getting least careful and probably going to make more mistakes." Morgan starts to explain. The detective was an experienced one. He worked the scene right and knew what the FBI needed in this case, but looking at things like they did was different. They had to think like the criminal, they had to interpret their behavior through their murders to narrow the list of possible unsubs.

"It'll also give us a look at his back ground, he's approximately age." Jayjay continue from where Morgan stopped. "Like the phrase here." She pointed at the wall behind a desk. "It shows us his probably a well-educated man. Learned another language or is a foreign." They didn't want to talk about the Mafia relation yet, because they hadn't any real evidence of it. Jennifer walked a little closer to the desk and saw something on the floor beside it.

"What's this in the floor? Looks like vomit." Jennifer asked kneeling to see it better.

"Yeah... the delivery boy got sick seeing the body." His phone starts to ring, so he excuses himself and leaves to answer.

"What was he looking for?" Emily asks to herself looking at the paper spread on the floor. "He searched all the draws; I wouldn't be surprised if upstairs was also like this. He probably tortured her so she would give it to him, but what could it be?"

"It wasn't for money. Her wallet is here with cash and all her credit cards." Jennifer gets it from the floor and looking for anything that could be missing. "Her ID is not here." They start to canvass through the paper on the floor, but found nothing significant.

"Let's see the rest of the house then talk to the neighbors." Morgan states going into the kitchen while Emily and Jennifer go up the stairs.

There wasn't much to be found in the others rooms. They were all a mess, but didn't seem to be something missing. It appeared he didn't find what he was looking for. They talked to the neighbors and nothing out of ordinary came through. She was a lovely lady, very friendly. Had a group of friends her age that usually get together to tea some afternoons. Some say it was to gossip about the neighborhood too.

"Agents, this is Summer Connor. He found Ms Robert." The boy swallows remembering the scene and starts to pale a bit.

"Thanks to talk to us. I'm Jennifer Jareau and these are Derek and Emily." The boy shakes his head acknowledging them. "I know it must have been horrible seeing that, but if you could tell us what happened it would be very helpful." The blonde talks kindly to the now very pale boy.

"Ok...I had the gro-groceries she asked yesterday afternoon. I knocked at the door and saw it was open. Ms Robert never lefts the door open...because of the danger out there, you know?!" He closes his eyes trying to get the sick feeling to go. "I called her name, but she didn't answer. There was music playing, so I stepped in and saw her sitting in the chair...oh god..." He starts to breathe deeply trying not to puke in front of the agents.

"It's okay. Breath slowly. There's no rush." Emily put a reassuring hand in his shoulder, trying to calm him down. Derek and Jayden stay back, just watching the two female working with the boy. They could always talk with younger people easier than the others. They were always gently and empathic when needed, but they could also be though when needed.

"I thought she just hadn't heard me, but when I came close there was so much...so much blood. I didn't know what to do."

"Did you do other deliveries that morning?" Emily asks and is answered by a nod. "Did you see anything suspicious? A car that isn't usually here, or a man walking around?"

"Not really, The street was really quiet. There wasn't anyone different, just the same ones I see every time." They see the boy don't have anything more for them, so they thank him and go to their car then head to the daughters house.

She didn't have any information to add, so after receiving a call from the ME they turned their way to the morgue.

The smell is always the first thing we come upon. It mixes of disinfectant and putrefied flesh hard to forget. Emily could remember when she was still a rookie almost losing her stomach content because of it. The image bothered her, but it was her olfactory sense that really affected her, especially the smell of fresh blood. It's a synesthesia; the visual, the smell and the taste that it left deep-seated in her brain. It's like going to a murder scene for the first time, smelling the fresh blood and feeling its metallic taste even being far from it. You can never forget. But she knew how important it was, seeing what the bastard had done to his victim, feeling the rage, all his feeling through the victim and to direct it to her will to catch him. Understand his methods to try to prevent another victim to suffer from it. The bodies were the only way murder victims would be able to tell us what she went through, their only way to try to guide us to the right path, so they can have justice. So they can have a little peace.

"Dr. Joshua Hale?" Morgan led the way to the ME. A man probably in his 50's, middle height and white hair. He lifted his head from the file and taking his glasses off looked at the entering agents.

"Agent Morgan I suppose." They shake hand and the African American introduces the others. "I've just putted the bodies on the gurneys. Shall we see it?!" He gets up to guide them to the next room. He takes the sheet from above the body. "Well this body was in better shape than the others. She wasn't so heavily beaten, however she was the only with post-mortem bruises. See those?" They could see the bruises on her torso in different colors. The blood had been cleaned from her face and it could be seem that it wasn't beaten like the others. A leg seemed to be broken under the burns and a finger dislodged.

"Why would he keep torturing her after she died?" JJ put the question in all their heads out.

"Maybe she died before giving him what she wanted and got him angry? The cause of death is the same as the others, asphyxiation?"

"No, see these burns here in the arms and legs?" They nod having seeing it on the others too. "They are electrical burns. Like in the others I think this was caused by a stun baton of sort. I think he let it on her for too long what caused a cardiac arrest."

"She died from a heart attack?!" It was more an affirmation than a question, but the doctor still answered.

"Yeah. She was older them the other victims, more prone to cardiovascular problems. The others died from asphyxiation, he used a plastic bag." He simulated with his hand how he would put the bag in their head and squeeze de bag. "Horrible way to die, by the way." He shrugged his shoulders and faced them. "Do you need anything else? I have other cases to work on." They shook their head and saw him leaving.

"Well, delightful company, don't you think?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

They were all gather in a room in the police station when the 3 profilers finally get there. Reid stood in front of a map, now full of studs on the victim's homes. On the board beside the map the pictures of the victims before and now with all kinds of information. Hotch and Rossi were on the table with many folders.

"How nice of you to join us." The Italian profiler looks at their arriving friends. He hoped they had had more lucky than he and Reid.

"Well, many places to be, many people to see, you know the drill..." SSA Jareau jokes sitting beside him. She gets the mug in front of him and takes a big gulp. "Thanks for the coffee." He lifts his eyebrow at her, but she only smiles putting the mug back. Before he can say anything else Hotch turns the attention back to the case.

"So, what did you find? What the family and neighbors had for us?"

"Well, like in the others, the house was a mess. He was definitely looking for something." Emily says examinee the board. "Her family and friends didn't have much to say, said she was friendly, always chatting with everybody. Passed many hours just observing the neighborhood, they said she liked a good gossip."

"Well that's another discrepancy... The first victim, Christopher Lewis, was exactly the opposite. Family said he was always on the cellphone, never really caring for much talk. And the second, the mechanical, we talked to neighbors. He didn't have a family, but it seems he's involved in some kind of illegal drug traffic. Not a very friendly guy." Rossi relay to them. They had talked to family, friends and neighbors and they seemed more like to themselves. Seemed they were more of loners.

"There are more differences." Morgan sat down massaging his neck while talking. He's was feeling very frustrated. "She had some post-mortem bruises and the cause of death was also different."

"She didn't die from asphyxiation like the others?" Reid stopped looking at the board paying all his attention to his friends. He was staring for much time to the map trying to find some sort of pattern, but it was useless. It seemed all so random.

"No. He didn't get a chance to, she had an infarction. It didn't give him the chance to uncover whatever he was looking for maybe it enraged him, so he continued beating her."

"Rossi, did he leave a CD on the scene?" JJ asked getting up to write on the board their new information.

" No, but the officer noted something that he thought strange. The radio was on and the part of CD was open. Someone took it out of it."

"He's losing control, getting careless. It wasn't about anger. He didn't measure how much she could take, like he did with the others. The Unsub forgot an Eric Clapton CD at the scene. He's making mistakes." She turned back putting the information on the board. Maybe now they would have an idea where to turn their lights.

"But, what is the importance of this CD? Is it only a countermeasure or is it important to him? Is it part of his M.O.?" Rossi asks out loud.

"It has to have significance, because he took with him to both crime scenes. He's organized." Hotch says.

"This isn't the only thing important to him. He took her ID too, like the others. Why take it after they are dead? Is it trophies to him?" Emily sat beside Derek putting a hand on her head. She was feeling the beginning of a headache.

"Could be... If this was about the torture he could want a reminder of it, but then why search their place?" The genius couldn't see much logic in this guy works. They worked with sadist that had their goal in hurting, seeing people suffering. Worked with murder that just had the death their finality. But this guy they couldn't figure out what was his real intent. Was it the tortures? What was he looking for? What could this people have to him?

"There must be something in common linking them. Why would he choose these victims and what is he looking for? " It disturbs them. And it only increased Emily's worry about everything, because the more they looked more it seemed that their better bet was the phrase and she wanted more than anything that it's not connected to the mafia. Not connected with her past.

"We should distinguish functional torture from the sadistic variety. The former is calculated to extract information from the tortured or to punish them. It is measured, impersonal, efficient, and disinterested. The latter fulfils the emotional needs of the perpetrator."

"These are functional torture. There is no escalation, no sexual component, he tortures them all they can endure then he kills them." JJ looks to her colleagues and see their annoyed demeanor.

"Okay. What do we have so far?" They had to get everything together to discuss it further, seeing everyone lost made Hotch try to make them see they had actually advanced in the case. They were going to solve it.

"Male, late 30's to 40's. He's well educated, has to be no challenge, harmless, otherwise the neighborhood would notice. He's fit, organized, methodical. He brings all he needs to the crime scene, the rope, the stun baton, the plastic bag, the CD. However, he is losing control. If he didn't find what he's looking for, he's going to kill again soon looking for it." Morgan summarized the profile they have so far.

"We are forgetting something. What about the phrase? This is of importance to him. It's his message. Did Garcia find anything regardless..."

"Oh, I see you are talking about me. Don't worry Mama got here. I came to bring news, work and food, for those brains of ours." Everybody chuckled. Garcia could always bring a smile to their faces, no matter how hard was the case. She was what really grounded them sometimes. There were four people coming into the room with her; two bringing box with files and the other two with box of food. Morgan got up kissing the tech in the cheek before going to the food.

"Have I told how much I love you today, baby girl?"

"Yeah Penelope, you are always taking care of us." Rossi gets up and also takes a place beside Morgan to eat.

"Oh, I see I made the right decision. How do you would live without me I don't know." She smiles widely. She's just happy she could help them.

"Not sure we can, Pen. Not sure we can." Emily stands and hugs her friend.

"So, do you wanna eat first or I can begin while you dig in?" They just look at her and she just continues. "Okay then, I should have imagined." She starts to get her computer ready while they make a plate and take case files. "So, my crime fighters I still couldn't find anything in common between the victims, but I'm digging deeper."

"What about the phrase? Did you find anything different about it? Any other significance?" Agent Prentiss asked hurriedly and it didn't go unnoticed by her friends. But now was not the time for that.

"I think you nailed it the first time." Garcia started to put pictures on her computer. "I talked to Sargent Agatha Terence Fletcher and she gave me a very important piece of information. A family come from Italy about a year ago to DC. The Stancato's are believed to be the main distributer of drugs in DC."

And it became true. Her past comes to hunt her present again. Emily closes her eyes and sights. What should she do? She had some information about these drug traffic group and she could get more. She could tell them about the CIA agent, they would help, they are the best in their field. She would have to tell them about Danio, so he wouldn't get in the cross fire. She would have to talk to him first, see if it would compromise him. Emily never would put him in jeopard. Never.

"But this isn't their first rodeo. They work for a Italian mafia guy, Dom Ciccillo. All the information I digged are in your tablets and what the police had in the family is in those boxes." Garcia puts Dom Ciccillo phto on the screen.

"What about the victims? Were they connected to the Mafia? Do they have Italian realtions?" Jennifer Jareau finally sits with them to eat on the table. Her stomach was annoyed with the smell, but no food coming to it.

"None. Zilt."

"Damn it. They must have something linking them." Morgan express their all frustation. "This is gonna be a long night."

"Garcia, I need you to look for shopes where the rope and the stun baton are sold. Everyone else, let's eat and look through the new information." Hotch directs his team and start to eat with them.

It was indeed going to be a long night. For one of them more so than the others.


	5. Chapter 4

First, I'm really sorry for the long time without an update, but it's being a kind of difficult begging of year for me.

I'm a medicine student here in Brazil and my university decided she needed more time before the begging of the semester, so my classes were all postponed. But it didn't stop there. There was delayed payment to the employees of the school, so it was stopped working and started a strike till a month ago.

It was a stressful period, but now my class are back and I feel like my ideas are flowing again. rs

This chapter was a difficult one to right. Don't really know why, but it was.

There's more flashbacks with the two ex-lovers, but I wanted to introduce another character.

Hope you like it.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-

Chapter 4

Francesco sat in his sofa nursing a glass of the finest whisky and listening the Tenor voice coming out of the victrola. His voice was powerful and the melody so involving that he couldn't stop the humming. He always loved to hear Tenors singing, since he was a little boy helping his mother with the chores. He lived in south of Italy in a rural area o Sicilia and the farm work was hard for a kid. Waking up early, rearing fences and loading the car with everything they produced that could be sold in the fair in the city. Little Francesco was always fascinated by the city and he vowed to himself that he wouldn't be like his father. He would move to the city and have the life his family never had.

Antonello and Piera Paura were farms of south of Italy. Never had much, but were happy with their lives. She tried to get pregnat for years and when her hope was fading away a miracouslous pregancy happened and Francesco was born. Piera loved her son more than anything in her life and so they created a bound so strong that could only be broken by death. She used to tell him storys of her younger years. It all fascinated him, but his father had other ideas for him.

Antonello inherited the farm from his father, which used to work on it with his grandfather, so it was a family tradition. He wanted Francesco to follow his foot steps, but it wasn't the kid's dream. So one day, after getting sick of his father's demands Francesco left for the city. His father vowed him not to come back, but her mother loved him so much that she continued to comunicate with him behind his father's back. She understood him. Her husband had always been very harsh with their son and would punish him for every little mistake. Francesco had marks of the belt in his back after his father found him hanging with other kids in the fair. That night the twelve years old curled in his mother's chest and cried hearing her comfort him; telling him to be strong that one day he would be big and would lead his own life. And this beating wasn't a seldom event, it occurred very often. It had to stop.

Now alone little Francesco had to figure a way to gain money, because the volume his mother had given him wasn't going to last forever. He got a job doing deliveries and soon found out that the streets weren't an easy place. Despite of being weakened there was still mobsters in the street. It seemed that somehow they lose part of their power, but the old mobster were still talked with respect and adimiration. Francesco wanted to be adimared like them, wanted to have their power. He did some jobs to mobster showing he didn't fear anything and it made him get known.

A couple of years working hard the seventeen years old boy met Stefano Di Tommaso, a 60 years old mechanical that gave him a job and a home. Stefano saw in Francesco a smart man with a great future ahead of him. He teached him everything about cars and Francesco was good at the job, but what caught more attention in him was his shrewd.Despite of never studied in a real school his mother had home schooled him and had made a great job. Soon the number of clients was rising and the simple shop starts to grow and became one the biggest shops of repair and gagdgets for automobiles in the region. Francesco administered all with easy and soon others local stories came to him for help.

Their money wasn't only from their mechanical shop. Mostly the shop was their front for the real business. Stefano was one of the masters of the local mobs in the region. Everybody feared him, but at the same time he was loved. He had saved so many people from falling apart, what wasn't easy with the bad economical period Italy was leaving, and they were very grateful. He was getting old and needed to find someone to take his place, because he didn't have children. Francesco was the person for the job. He was street smart, intelligent, didn't falter in doing the jobs needed and the most important thing he was loyal. For the last few years of his life he would find in him a son and teach him everything.

They both loved music and Dom Tommaso, like he was known, would tell him everything he knew about the tenors fascinating even more Francesco. He met Francesco's mother on one of these shows and discovered where the boy loyalty came from; he could see the love and devotion for each other. Stefano knew about the problems with Antonello, but this was something the own Francesco had to solve, but he could always difficult the farmer business.

Unknown to them, Antonello was taking his frustration on his wife. One time the neighbors saw he beating her, but the cop was a friend of his father and let it slide. Piera would hide it from her son. She was afraid how he would react; she feared he'd try to face his father. However one day she was so heavily beat that she ended upon the hospital. Francesco was the first one to get there. He looked at his mother lying on that bed, badly bruised and with a tube helping her breath and lost his mind. The doctors said that the cops took her there after she was found on the road. Piera had a subarachnoid hemorrhage. They had operated her, but couldn't see the sequelae yet, but there was a big chance she would never wake up. They showed him her others injures and he knew what had really happened.

Francesco didn't have time to cry, he was seeing red. He took his car and drove to his father old house. He would pay for this.

He was glad the farm was big, because he couldn't leave witness to this. This was a lesson he learned with the mobsters; never leave trace evidences. Pushing the door open he saw his father drinking his beer in the sofa.

"My bastard of a son, came to ask for help? You can turn your back from where you came." Antonello got up and walked to the kitchen where he got another beer and picked the opener.

"How dare you touch her? Wasn't enough the abuse I suffered? She didn't deserve it. Piera deserved someone better than you." He was in his father's personal space now. They were staring at each other; the angered sparks could be seen between them.

"That bitch deserved everything I did to her. She was a dirty little whor…" He didn't even finish his phrase and Francesco punched him in the face, making him fall in the open drawer. The older man didn't waste his time and grabbing a knife lunched himself in his son.

Blood was running down Francesco face from a cut in his cheek. His father was trying to hit him with the weapon again, but this was not the little kid that he used to beat. This was a man that learned on the streets how to defend himself and in seconds Antonello was lying on his back without the knife.

Punch after punch was plunged on the old man's face, even when his body stopped moving. The anger from all those years, for his mother's beating was moving him and he couldn't stop. Then the exhaustion won and he sat there breathing fast on the kitchen floor. When it normalized he felt calmer, he felt avenged. Francesco got up and taking a kitchen towel he started to clean his face and hands from the blood.

Stefano had heard what happened and knew exactly where Francesco would be. So taking two of his soldiers he went to the farm. Getting there he saw his heir drinking a beer sat beside his dead father's body. In a silent command his two mobsters got the body so they could take care of it.

"I'm damn proud of you. Now I really have the future leader of the business. The next Godfather." Francesco just got up and took another beer in the freezer handing it to his real father.

The following years were good and also difficult. The son visited his mother every day in the hospital until her body succumbed. That's when he experienced sorrow for the first time and would have to deal with it again a couple of years later when Stefano was killed in a shooting with their rivals. Like the new Capo di tutti I capi, Dom Ciccillo, his new title took care of it. The man that fired the kill shot ended up disappearing after enduring 12 hours of torture.

A few years later business were improving even more and the number of followers to it grew, but there was a group of gangster tormenting the life of citizens in the region. There was a robbery in one of the most known jewelry, Tutti Illuminato, and it ended up with the kidnap of the daughter's owner. The police found her raped and dead on an alley near the said store. There was evidence of the involvement of the brotherhood gangster, Ciccillo's rivals, but for errors in collecting evidence they weren't prosecuted.

Joseph Carbone Di Maggio, the owner, went to talk to Francesco.

"Godfather, Di Maggio is here to talk to you." One of his bodyguards tells by the door.

"Let he in." Sitting behind the desk Ciccillo gets up and pour two glasses of his favorite wine. Despite not liking the farm work, Little Francesco used to make their wine with his mother. He would laugh with her while they stepped on the grapes. He still had a little stoke of this wine and decided the man needed something good to give him courage.

"Di Maggio, please, come sit here. I already poured us wine." He smiles softly. The scar on the right corner of his face still very prominent, but it didn't take his charm away.

"Thanks for receiving me. I didn't know where to turn."

"You can always turn to me. You were a great friend to Stefano, God bless his soul, so you are my friend too." He sips his glass of wine watching Joseph do the same.

"You heard about my daughter, right? I…I think the police is covering for the brotherhood. They had already tri…tried to intimidate me and then…" He muffles a cry hiding his face in his hand. "My Mirella didn't deserve that. And now I feel I have to at least give her soul closure." Another sob escapes him. They stay in silent for a few more minutes before Francesco go to his side and put a reassuring hand in his shoulder.

"I treat friends as part of my family. Family is always loyal and protective of the other. I'm going to bring peace to your house and business and for your soul. I've learned to never trust the cops and I now I'm more then sure I'm right. Go home, grieve for your daughter, I'll be in touch."

A few weeks later the brotherhood found their leader battered body in there district, a clear message to who really was in charge of the region. The cop responsible for the cover up mysteriously disappeared. His body was never found.

The door to the jewelry store opened and Dom Ciccillo walked through, his powerful presence attracting all eyes to him. Not wasting time Carbone excused himself taking him to the back room.

"I think you should have this back." Not being one to waste time, the Dom handed a golden necklace with a cross as a pendant. Seeing his daughter necklace made all the tears pour down his face.

"Thank you so much. I don't know how to repay you for this." Ciccillo smiled walking to the door.

"Family helps each other."

After this, his business only grew, expanding to others countries. His power on Sicilia was undeniable and now he was known worldwide, like he always dreamed of. He had booze and drugs selling to all Europe and a few in America. He had his money invested in and out of Italy. He got invited to family dinners in the region, also by powerful people to parties, to concerts and in one of these he met someone who would make he remember the love he felt for his mother.

Angela Piazzese was a daughter of a member of the new Borgata. She had long brown hair and the most shinny brown eyes he had ever seem. It wasn't one-sided. Francesco was gorgeous. He had green eyes and blonde grayish hair. He was tall and thin but had the muscles defined in the right places making many woman drool for him. The scar on his face was a mark of his power, but it didn't seem to faze her. For her it was part of his charm. They married and assumed his mother's family name, Ciccillio.

He conducted hi business with an iron grip, but it seemed people weren't as loyal. So nowadays, after years of prosperity, he now faced a bad period. The police had shut some of his business and the local mafia he had installed in the USA was an important income, because the investigations in Italy were closing on him.

The music was interrupted for a knock on the door.

"Mss Rosa Stancato is here to see you." Without moving from his spot he signalized to send her in. Now with 57 years old, Francesco still have that intimidating stance. His hair was gray, but it was still charming. He was dressed in a tailored beige suit that went well with the green of his eyes. Dom Ciccillo looked more tired, business had been difficult. People weren't so loyal nowadays and he lost part of his field, furthermore the police seemed to be closing on him. The sound of heels was followed by a female voice.

"Hi Godfather."

"Do you know this singer, Rosa?" Rosa was not very tall girl, with her hair dyed of blonde that Francesco adored. He and Giuseppe were very good friends and he had a fraternal love for here, because his Angel couldn't have children. Ciccillo turned in his chair putting the glass down on the table.

"Not really, but it sure is beautiful. Very powerful too.

"This is Enrico Caruso. We have a lot in common, you know? We were both betrayed by our blood and our country on some way. But we never backed down. He was the best tenor of all times and me, well, I had my time of glory.

"You saved my family when the law system let us down. You are the Capi di tutti Capi*."

Francesco got up to fill her a drink. "Would you like a glass of cabounet?"

"Sure, thank you, Dom Ciccillo."

"You can call me Francesco, Rosa. You are family to me. The Stancato's have always been loyal and this is rare nowadays. They more fear me than they admire me. So, what do you got for me?"

"I'm afraid I don't have good news. We couldn't deliver two lots of drugs to Washington. The Italian police was on the place. I think we have a mole."

"The date was set from America. Do you father have someone in mind?"

"Not yet, but it has to a soldier*, an associate* wouldn't have contacts here. We checked them." He started to massage his temple, a headache was already forming. "Here is a list of the latest addition on our side from the last 3 years." He scanned the list thoroughly, but only one name made him stop.

"Marco Zena Bartoli… What do you have about him?"

"Solved some conflicts we had with the Police in the US. Was an orphan and then was raised by Andrea and Diana Bartoli, but don't talk much about his life. They both died when he still lived in Roma. Come to Siccilia 5 years ago. Did some damn good jobs for us and when Macedo decided to retire he recommended him to his place. Been doing a good job so far." She was startled by the name picked by the Dom. She's the intermediate between America and Italy, so she spend time in both places. Rosa had got to know him and couldn't see him betraying them. Marco had got them out of difficult law situations. It wasn't just his work that made her believe he wasn't guilty, she had got to know him. They talked a lot when she was in the state; over dinner after meetings. He never really talked about his life before Siccilia, this was strange, but they had a lot in common and sometimes she felt like he really understood her. Her dream of being a famous journalist one day was encourage her to pursue it. They discussed politics, economy, art… Sometimes it seemed to her that they could be more than boss and employee. If Rosa was honest with herself, she was falling for him.

"I remember how strange it seemed to have Macedo give up his job to him. His arrival here is too coincidental. Too suddenly. I want you to keep eyes on this list, but especially here. I'll talk to Macedo personally and look to this end too." He couldn't lose his business in the USA, it was his best bet on action*.

"I…I… Si, I'll keep you informed."

"I want results, we can't lose this end. Caruso always said: 'I never step on the stage without asking myself whether I will succeed in finishing the opera'. Do you think you can take care of it for me?" Francesco had seen her discomfort about his suspicion on the guy and had to be sure that regardless whatever she was feeling she would do the job.

"Of course. I'll take care of it."

"Good. Tonight I expect you to dinner. Angela is preparing her fabulous gnocchi. Tomorrow you go back to Washington."

-x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x

Two years, it's how long it took for him to be here. He used to do small jobs for the mobsters in Siccilia at first. His contacts had been important in so many situations and it gave him a leverage. So it got him attention. Giuseppe Stancato praised him on his works and used Macedo to contact him for more jobs. Working with him gave them the opportunity they were waiting for. They found so much dirty on his background that they used it to put him to speak. He gave them information to close some of the mobs business, but he didn't have a lot about the international stuff, the information they were missing. After discovering Macedo was supposed to assume the charge of the consigliere* when the family moved to the state, to be closer to the business, they decided to act. It was their agent change to go up in the Borgata*, after all they needed someone fluent in English and with contacts there. The perfect opportunity for Braga to infiltrate even deeper.

Macedo was gave protection for 'deciding' to retire and send Marco – Braga's codename – in his place. The guy was scared shitless, but he didn't want to face jail time either. Maybe now they would get the proof they needed. The government with the MI5 and SSIM help had got some smaller fishes, perhaps now they would get the whole family; would get Ciccillo.

So he travelled back to America, a place he hasn't been for years. The last time he was here was for a funeral, one he stayed just watching from afar. Being back brought back many memories that he wished it wouldn't, because it hurt too much. As he settled down on his new house near the grand mansion of the Stancato's, his mind drifted for the time when his heart shattered for good. Another painful memory from Washington.

_Danio heard she had been back for a few days now and he wanted a chance to talk to her, to understand what had happened. He couldn't understand. One minute they were laughing together the next he was waking up alone with only a note from her. What could possibly have changed? So calling a cab, Braga went to the address he knew by heart._

_Emily had just got home when there was a knock at her door. She was physically and emotionally exhausted, all she wanted was to take a shower and go to bed. With her just a poured glass of wine, she answered and she couldn't hide her shock seeing who it was._

"_What are you doing here?"_

"_Hello my darling. Well, when your best agent decides she want to go back to the FBI and leave the task force, it's bound to call my attention." His British accent was full of sarcasm making her roll her eyes seeing him walking through the door._

"_Please, come in Clyde." The sarcasm could go both ways. "That's already settled, you know what I really wanted. I have the chance to go to the BAU now." Emily goes to the kitchen and pours him a glass of wine also. This could take a while._

"_I know. I gave them my recommendation, but it isn't just that. I want to know what happened on the case you aren't telling me? How did you get them to accept the profile?" Clyde says before taking a sip of his glass and sitting on the sofa. A fair warning that he wasn't going to leave without answers. Emily paced before him trying to figure out how to explain to him, what she couldn't really reveal. She would make everything to protect that child and the less people that knew about him the better._

"_Nothing else happened." She sighted finally sitting down in a chair next to him. "This mission… It took too much from me." The image of Danio sleeping with a smile on his face while she got up to go to Ian, leaving not only a letter, but probable a broken heart, passed to her mind. She had lost the best part of herself; him. "I know it was just a mission. And a successful one at that, but when you are this close to evil, there is no way you won´t get tainted." There was a roughness in her voice that startled the British for a second. He knew it hadn't been easy for her, but they just arrested a terrorist. In doing this Emily had saved so many lives. This was victory. _

"_Emily, I know it was hard. Sometimes the job takes a part of us, but we compensate it by working hard. We fight the darkness that try to steal us with our light; the reasons we do it for."_

"_But what if it takes a part too great that there's nothing l_e_ft_? _The darkness can be so strong to cloud our mind and heart making the light lose its brightness? This time it was too much. I can't feel anything other than the darkness. The guilty is too much. _"

"_You have to change your focus and stopping seeing the glass half empty and see it half full. The people that died were killed by Doyle and his men. Not by me. Not by you." He stared at those sorrowed eyes. "What was the first thing you said to me before we took you out?"_

"_I don't see the point in…"_

"_Just answer me, damn it." The realization came to her and he could see some of the shine come back to her eyes._

"_I said to take their gun storage under control and to protect the house employees before coming in." She remember being preoccupied with the number of guns and how many innocent would be in the line of fire if there was a shot out. Declan and Louise could be one of them. The sweet gardener that always helped her could killed. She just had to protect them._

"_You protected them, Em. You light shined even surrounded by darkness." She looked in his eyes and could see how proud he was of her and it made her heart a little lighter._

_Her cellphone started to ring and she looked at the caller ID. ´Colter' _

"_I have to take this Clyde. Feel at home, I'll be down in a minute." Now at the closed door of her room she could talk. "Hey Tom." _

"_Hey Emily. We are settled. You can be assured that I'll take care of everything." In the background a laughter could be heard and it warmed her heart. In that moment she knew she would do it all over again, just to be able to hear this laugh. He would have a real chance now._

"_I can't thank you enough…"_

_Downstairs._

_Clyde was sipping on his wine when the bell rang and the liquid slipped down his shirt._

"_Oh, bloody hell." He opened his shirt and took a paper towel before going to answer it._

_Braga was really nervous at her door. In her note she said it was because of the job, but her actions the night before told him otherwise. She looked guilty somehow. However, at the same time he saw her love for him there too. It's this love that gave him courage to come here. Danio didn't want to lose her, so he would fight with her. Break through her barriers to really understand and maybe defeat her insecurity. _

_He knocked on the door and it was less than a minute to it to be open, but what he saw wasn't what he was waiting for._

"_How can I help you?" His British accent was the second thing he noticed, the first was the open shirt and the glass of liquor on his hand. Now he understood her guilty, her insecurity when he talked about family. She had someone else. Someone who probably was much more serious then him._

"_Sorry, wrong apartment." With that he left in a hurry. If before she felt his heart break, now he saw it shattering to the ground. It could only be a nightmare. So he would wake up with her still in bed with him in his warehouse in Italy, the letter only being a way for his brain to fuck with him. A nightmare. It had to be a fucking nightmare. So he let the tears go down, bringing him back to the cruel reality._

"_What just happened?" Clyde found the face familiar, but couldn't place it._

"_Who was it?" The CIA agent sees Emily by the stairs and soon senses the change. Whoever had talked to her helped her. She was back with him._

"_Wrong apartment." _

He remembered being really angry at her. Feeling betrayed, so he got back to Italy. He worked hard in the next years never really having a long relationship, because she still had his heart. Unknown to him, she was also in a dry for serious relations, because everyman she compared to him, so it was no win.

Now here he was. Back to America, not like Danio, but as Marco Bartoli. He wanted to visit her casket, but it could compromise him. Also he wanted to move on. This would be his last mission and he would settle down like she wanted him too. He deserved love and he would find it. This he was sure. But what he didn't know was that moving on may not be that easy.

His emergency cellphone rang. And the message there got the hair in the back of his neck to stand.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x_

_Thanks so much for the comments, for the following and reading my fict._

_Next Chapter we will have the waited encounter between Emly and Danio. What will happen? Could they find their way back to each other or they will finally move on?_

_Keep reading to discover! =P_


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